Mobile switchboard, mobile unit, mobile communication system, and position- registration extending method

ABSTRACT

A mobile unit transmits a request for position registration to a network when moving from a first area to a second area. When the number of incoming calls does not exceed a threshold and the number of movements between the first area and the second area exceeds a threshold, a mobile switchboard combines the first area and the second area into an extended area, and informs the mobile unit of the extended area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technology for registration of aposition of a mobile unit in a mobile communication network.

2) Description of the Related Art

A mobile communication system is configured with a mobile unit (UE), abase-station control device (RNC), a base station (BS), a mobileswitchboard (MSC), and a location register (VLR) that is provided in themobile switchboard and in which information on a position of the mobileunit is registered. The position of the mobile unit always changes inthe mobile communication system. Therefore, registration of the positionof the mobile unit in advance of an incoming call is a requiredmanagement for the network (mobile switchboard) to establishcommunication upon receiving the incoming call.

Specifically, the position is managed as a part of subscriberinformation in the location register by using sections locally dividedcalled position registration areas. The same information of the positionregistration area is registered in the mobile unit. The registration ofthe position at the mobile unit is carried out by the mobile unitrequesting the network when the mobile unit is powered on and when themobile unit not during communication moves across position registrationareas.

In recent years, with the increasing number of users of the mobilecommunication system, the amount of data on the network has beenincreasing accordingly. However, wireless resources between the mobileunit and the base station in the network are limited. Therefore, variousmethods have been studied for efficient use of such wireless resources.

In a conventional position registering method, for example, the positionof the mobile unit is registered every time the mobile unit moves acrossposition registration areas. To determine an area to which a pagingsignal for an incoming call is to be sent, the network always ascertainsa current area in which the mobile unit is located.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram of a conventional position registrationprocedure for the mobile unit. It is assumed that three positionregistration areas LA1, LA2, and LA3 are present.

As shown in FIG. 12, first, (1) a mobile unit 100 is located in theposition registration area LA1, and this position registration area LA1is registered in a location register VLR in a mobile switchboard (MSC)104 via a base station 101 and a base-station control device (RNC1) 111(step S1200).

Next, (2) when the mobile unit 100 moves to another area, the positionregistration area LA2 (step S1201), the mobile unit 100 recognizes thatthe mobile unit 100 has entered the position registration area LA2 basedon report information D1 of the current area (step S1202). Then, aposition-information-registration request D2 for which a previous area,the position registration area LA1, is set is transmitted to thelocation register VLR via a base station (BS2) 102 and a base-stationcontrol device (RNC2) 112.

Next, (3) upon receiving the position-information-registration requestD2, the mobile switchboard 104 recognizes that the mobile unit 100 islocated in the position registration area LA2, and updates a latestposition registration area in the location register VLR to the positionregistration area LA2 (step S1203). Then, the mobile switchboard 104returns a position-information-registration request response D3 to themobile unit 100 to notify that the latest position registration area isLA2.

Next, (4) upon receiving the position-information-registration requestresponse D3, the mobile unit 100 recognizes completion of positionregistration, and then, writes and stores the position registration areaLA2 in a storage area for position information in the mobile unit 100 asthe latest position registration area (step S1204).

Next, (5) when the mobile unit 100 moves to the position registrationarea LA3 (step S1205), the mobile unit 100 recognizes, based on reportinformation D4 of a current area, that the mobile unit 100 has enteredanother area, the position registration area LA3 (step S1206). Then, theposition registration procedure is performed in a similar manner as acase of the position registration area LA2. First, aposition-information-registration request D5 for which a previous area,the position registration area LA2, is set is transmitted to thelocation register VLR via a base station (BS3) 103 and a base-stationcontrol device (RNC3) 113.

Next, (6) upon receiving the position-information-registration requestD5, the mobile switchboard 104 recognizes that the mobile unit 100 islocated in the position registration area LA3, and then updates thelatest position registration area to LA3 (step S1207). Then, the mobileswitchboard 104 returns a position-information-registration requestresponse D6 to the mobile unit 100 to notify that the latest positionregistration area is LA3.

Next, (7) upon receiving the position-information-registration requestD6, the mobile unit 100 recognizes completion of position registration,and then, writes and stores the position registration area LA3 in thestorage area as the latest position registration area (step S1208).

As described above, when the mobile unit 100 changes its location fromthe position registration area LA1 to the position registration areaLA2, the mobile unit 100 performs the position registration procedure onthe network. Thus, the position information in the mobile unit 100 andthe location register VLR is updated to the position registration areaLA2. In this manner, when there is an incoming call for the mobile unit100, paging is performed with respect to the position registration areaLA2. In a similar manner, when the mobile unit 100 changes its locationto another area, for example, the position registration area LA3, theposition information is updated to the position registration area LA3.

As described, in the conventional mobile communication, the location ofthe mobile unit is kept track of in a unit of position registration areathat includes a plurality of base stations. Update of this positionregistration area is important for accurately grasping the positionregistration area when an incoming call is to be placed to the mobileunit in the network. Such technologies regarding the update of theposition registration area are disclosed in, for example, JapanesePatent Laid-Open Publication No. H7-87554, Japanese Patent Laid-OpenPublication No. H7-250365, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No.2000-23234.

However, in the conventional technologies, the wireless resources in thenetwork are wasted. In the conventional technologies, every time themobile unit moves across position registration areas, a process ofupdating the position registration information is performedirrespectively of frequency of the incoming-call. Therefore, when themobile unit frequently moves near a boundary of position registrationareas, the process is performed very frequently because the process isperformed every time the mobile unit enters one of the positionregistration areas. Particularly, frequent performance of such processby a mobile unit with a low incoming-call frequency leads to a wastefuluse of the wireless resources, and makes it impossible for the wirelessresources to be used efficiently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to solve at least the aboveproblems in the conventional technology.

A mobile switchboard according to one aspect of the present inventionincludes an incoming-call recording unit that records number of incomingcalls to a mobile unit, which is movable between a plurality of positionregistration areas, the number of incoming calls within a predeterminedtime period; a movement recording unit that records, every time themobile unit changes a location to a first area that is one of theposition registration areas, a moving condition of the mobile unit, themoving condition of movement between the first area and a second areathat is one of the position registration areas and in which the mobileunit has previously been located; and an area extending unit thatextends a position registration area to form a third area by combiningthe first area and the second area, that records the third area in themovement recording unit, and that informs the mobile unit of the thirdarea. The area extending unit determines whether to combine the firstarea with the second area based on the number of incoming calls and themoving condition, and the area extending unit extends the positionregistration area when it is determined to combine the first area withthe second area.

A mobile unit according to another aspect of the present inventionperforms communication in a plurality of position registration areas ina network that includes a mobile switchboard that manages positioninformation of the mobile unit and that performs switching control ofincoming and outgoing calls for the mobile unit, and includes an arearecording unit that records a first area that is one of the positionregistration areas and to which the mobile unit moves to change alocation and a second area that is one of the position registrationareas and in which the mobile unit has previously been located; and aregistration requesting unit that requests the mobile switchboard forregistration of the first area. The area recording unit combines thefirst area and the second area, and records the first area and thesecond area combined when the switchboard notifies the mobile unit ofcompletion of the registration that is performed in accordance with therequest from the registration requesting unit, and the registrationrequesting unit requests the registration only when the first area is anew area that is one of the position registration areas and that has notbeen recorded in the area recording unit.

A mobile communication system according to still another aspect of thepresent invention includes a mobile unit that is communicable whilemoving within a plurality of position registration areas in a network;and a mobile switchboard that manages position information of the mobileunit and that performs switching control of incoming and outgoing callsfor the mobile unit. The mobile switchboard includes an incoming-callrecording unit that records number of incoming calls to the mobile unitwithin a predetermined time period; a movement recording unit thatrecords, every time the mobile unit changes a location to a first areathat is one of the position registration areas, a moving condition ofthe mobile unit, the moving condition of movement between the first areaand a second area that is one of the position registration areas and inwhich the mobile unit has previously been located; and an area extendingunit that extends a position registration area to form a third area bycombining the first area with the second area, that records the thirdarea in the movement recording unit, and that informs the mobile unit ofthe third area. The area extending unit extends the positionregistration area when the number of incoming calls does not exceed apredetermined threshold and the number of movements between the positionregistration areas within a predetermined time period exceeds apredetermined threshold. The mobile unit includes an area recording unitthat records the third area that is notified by the mobile switchboard;and a registration requesting unit that requests the mobile switchboardfor registration of the first area. The registration requesting unitrequests the registration only when the first area is a new area that isone of the position registration areas and that has not been recorded inthe area recording unit.

A method according to still another aspect of the present invention is amethod for extending position registration in a mobile switchboard thatcommunicates with a mobile unit, that manages position information ofthe mobile unit, and that performs switching control of incoming andoutgoing calls for the mobile unit, and includes recording number ofincoming calls to the mobile unit within a predetermined time period;recording, every time the mobile unit changes a location to a first areathat is one of the position registration areas, a moving condition ofthe mobile unit, the moving condition of movement between the first areaand a second area that is one of the position registration areas and inwhich the mobile unit has previously been located; and extending aposition registration area to form a third area, when the number ofincoming calls does not exceed a predetermined threshold and number ofmovements within a predetermined time period exceeds a predeterminedthreshold. The extending includes combining the first area and thesecond area; and notifying the mobile unit of the third area.

A method according to still another aspect of the present invention is amethod for extending position registration in a mobile unit that movesin a plurality of position registration areas in a network, with whichthe mobile unit requests a mobile switchboard that manages positioninformation that relates to movement of the mobile unit for registrationof a position, and includes requesting the mobile switchboard, when themobile unit changes a location to a first area that is one of theposition registration areas, and when the first area is different areafrom a second area that is one of the position registration areas and inwhich the mobile unit has previously been located, for registration ofthe first area, the first area determined to be different from thesecond area with reference to a record that indicates a positionregistration area in which the mobile unit has previously been located;and adding, based on a notification of a response from the mobileswitchboard to the requesting, the first area to the record.

A method according to still another aspect of the present invention is amethod for extending position registration in which a mobile unit movesin a plurality of position registration areas in a network, and positioninformation of the mobile unit is managed by a mobile switchboard, andincludes recording position registration areas in which the mobile unithas been located before; recording number of incoming calls to themobile unit within a predetermined time period; extending a positionregistration area when the number of incoming calls does not exceed apredetermined threshold and number of movements between the positionregistration areas within a predetermined time period exceeds apredetermined threshold; and notifying the mobile unit of the thirdarea. The extending includes combining a first area with a second areato form a third area; and recording the third area. The first area isone of the position registration areas and in which the mobile unitmoves to change a location. The second area is one of the positionregistration areas in which the mobile unit has previously been located.

The other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention arespecifically set forth in or will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a mobile-unit communication system according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a mobile unit;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a mobile switchboard;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a signal regarding extension and cancellationof a position registration area;

FIG. 5 is a schematic of data regarding position registration areas in asubscriber-information storage unit;

FIG. 6 is a schematic of a position-registration-area storage unit;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of operation of the mobile switchboard at a timeof extension of a position registration area;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of operation of the mobile switchboard at a timeof canceling the extension of the position registration area;

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram of a procedure for extending a positionregistration area;

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a procedure for further extending theposition registration area;

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram of a procedure for canceling the extensionof the position registration area; and

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram of a conventional position registrationprocedure for a mobile unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments according to the present invention are explainedbelow in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is aschematic of a mobile-unit communication system according to anembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the network hasa plurality of position registration areas LA1, LA2, and LA3corresponding to communication service areas. A mobile unit (UE) 100,which is a cellular phone or the like, can make calls while movingwithin these position registration areas LA1, LA2, and LA3.

The network includes the position registration areas LA1, LA2, and LA3,and also has a plurality of base stations (BS, 101) 101 a, 101 b, and101 c performing communication (including making calls) with the mobileunit 100 by using a wireless wave, base-station control devices (RNC,111) 111 a, 111 b, and 111 c connected to the respective base stations101, and a mobile switchboard (MSC) 104 connected to the base-stationcontrol devices 111 to control incoming calls from and outgoing calls toan external relay network (including the mobile unit 100 inside thenetwork). Inside the mobile switchboard 104, a location register (VLR)105 is provided to register position information of the mobile unit 100.The location register 105 manages, as a part of subscriber information,the position of the mobile unit 100 by using area sections calledposition registration areas.

The base station 101 controls the mobile unit 100 in the relevantposition registration area. The base-station control device 111 has aunit that transmits a report signal to the mobile unit 100 via the basestation 101. The mobile unit 100 has a unit that receives reportinformation transmitted from the base-station control device 111 via thebase station 101. The report information includes information about theposition registration area in which the base station 101 transmittingthis report information is included.

The mobile unit 100 has a unit that ascertains, from thisposition-registration-area information, the position registration areain which the mobile unit is currently present and performs apredetermined position registration process on the location register 105when the mobile unit moves to a different position registration area.Also, the mobile unit 100 side has a unit that records the sameposition-registration-area information as that registered in thelocation register 105.

The mobile switchboard 104 has a unit that issues an incoming-callnotification to the mobile unit 100 when an incoming call to the mobileunit 100 under control comes from another network. Upon receiving anincoming-call signal from another network, latestposition-registration-area information about the mobile unit 100 storedin the location register 105 is retrieved, and then an incoming-callreport is issued by paging via the base-station control device 111 andthe base station 101 that corresponding to the latest positionregistration area to cause the mobile unit 100 to start a process at thetime of receiving an incoming call.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the mobile unit (UE). The mobile unit 100includes an antenna 210, a receiving unit 202, a transmitting unit 203,a signal analyzing unit 204, a position-registration-area storage unit205, a position registration requesting unit 206, and a pagingresponding unit 207. The mobile unit 100 has a function of retaining theposition registration area in an extended state.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the mobile switchboard (MSC). The mobileswitchboard 104 receives an incoming call to the mobile unit 100 from anexternal relay network and transmits an outgoing call from the mobileunit 100 to the external relay network. Also, the mobile switchboard 104performs network control via the base-station control device RNC overthe base station (BS) relevant to the position registration area wherethe mobile unit 100 is present at the time of receiving an incoming callor transmitting an outgoing call. The mobile switchboard 104 includes areceiving unit 301, a transmitting unit 302, a signal analyzing unit303, a subscriber-information storage unit 304, aposition-registration-request responding unit 305, and a pagingrequesting unit 306. A part of the subscriber-information storage unit304 is used as the location register (VLR) 105 to store informationabout the position registration area. In the following description, itis assumed that the subscriber-information storage unit 304 has afunction of the location register 105.

In the present invention, as for a mobile unit 100 with a high movingfrequency and a low incoming-call frequency, to reduce the number oftimes of registering the position of the mobile unit 100, a plurality ofposition registration areas are connected to each other for storage as alatest position registration area. For example, the mobile unit 100moves from a previous position registration area LA1 to a new positionregistration area LA2, connection is made as LA1+LA2. This is referredto as extension of a position registration area. With this, it is notnecessary for the mobile unit 100 to always perform a positionregistration process every time the mobile unit 100 moves acrossspecific position registration areas within a short time. Also, thenumber of times of position registration performed on the network can bereduced, thereby allowing efficient use of wireless resources on thenetwork. Therefore, each of the mobile unit 100 and the mobileswitchboard 104 includes a unit that extends a position registrationarea and a unit that cancels an extended position registration area.

The subscriber-information storage unit 304 of the mobile switchboard104 has a function of a movement recording unit that records a movementstate of the mobile unit 100 and a function of an incoming-callrecording unit. The movement recording unit records, in thesubscriber-information storage unit 304, information about a movement ofthe mobile unit 100 from a position registration area to anotherposition registration area, and a time of the movement. When the mobileunit 100 performs a position registration process, the movementrecording unit can ascertain the current position registration area (forexample, LA2) based on information added when aposition-information-registration request from the mobile unit 100 goesvia the base-station control device 111 (information about a correlationbetween a cell that receives a message and a position registration areaof the cell). Also, since the position-information-registration requestincludes the previous position-registration-area information (forexample, LA1), the movement recording unit can ascertain that the mobileunit 100 has moved from one position registration area to anotherposition registration area (for example, a movement from LA1 to LA2),and records the information about the movement to the other positionregistration area and the time of the movement.

The incoming-call recording unit records the arrival of an incoming callis placed at the mobile unit 100 and the time of the incoming call inthe subscriber-information storage unit 304 (location register 105).When the arrival is ascertained at the time of performing incoming-callcontrol over the mobile unit 100 to which an incoming call is placed,the arrival of the incoming call and the time of the arrival arerecorded in the subscriber-information storage unit 304 of the mobileswitchboard 104.

The signal analyzing unit 303 of the mobile switchboard has a functionof a position-registration-area extending unit. Thisposition-registration-area extending unit extends a positionregistration area of the mobile unit 100 according to the number ofincoming calls to the mobile unit 100 and the number of movements of themobile unit 100. Based on the information recorded by the incoming-callrecording unit, the subscriber-information storage unit 304 counts thenumber of incoming calls to the mobile unit 100 within a predeterminedtime period, and ascertains that the number of incoming calls does notexceed a predetermined threshold. Then, based on the informationrecorded by the movement recording unit described above, the number ofmovements of the mobile unit 100 within a predetermined time period iscounted. When the number of movements exceeds a predetermined threshold,the position registration areas across which the mobile unit has movedare connected to each other as a latest position registration area ofthe mobile unit 100, thereby achieving extension of a positionregistration area. The position registration areas connected forextension are notified to the mobile unit 100 as aposition-registration-completed area of the mobile unit 100.

Also, the signal analyzing unit 303 of the mobile switchboard 104 has afunction of an extended-position-registration-area canceling unit (notshown). The extended-position-registration-area canceling unit returnsthe position registration areas connected for extension to theiroriginal separate position registration areas. Thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 of the mobile switchboard 104counts the number of incoming calls to the mobile unit 100 within thepredetermined time period based on the information recorded by theincoming-call recording unit described above. Then, when the number ofincoming call exceeds the predetermined threshold, theextended-position-registration-area canceling unit determines to returnthe position registration areas connected for extension to theiroriginal separate position registration areas. Then, anextended-position-registration cancel notification is issued to themobile unit 100 at the time of a paging request.

The position-registration-area storage unit 205 of the mobile unit 100has a function of an extended area storage unit (not shown). Thisextended area storage unit stores the position registration areasnotified at the time of position registration as theposition-registration-completed area from the subscriber-informationstorage unit 304 (location register 105) of the mobile switchboard 104.To the mobile unit 100, the position registration areas connected forextension are notified as the position-registration-completed area bythe position-registration-area extending unit of the mobile switchboard104 described above. This position-registration-completed area iswritten as the latest position-registration-area information in astorage area of the position-registration-area storage unit 205 of themobile unit 100. Also, when an extended-position-registration cancelnotification comes upon a paging request from the mobile switchboard104, information indicative of extension cancellation (for example,NULL) is written as position registration information, and at the timeof a paging response, an extended-position-registration cancel responseis returned to the mobile switchboard 104.

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a signal regarding extension and cancellationof a position registration area, the signals transmitted and receivedbetween the mobile unit and the network (mobile switchboard). From themobile unit 100 to the network, a position registration request signal401 and a paging response signal 404 are transmitted. From the networkto the mobile unit 100, a position-registration-request response signal402 and a paging request signal 403 are transmitted. In the drawing,hatched portions represent information extended by the presentinvention.

The position registration request signal 401 includes information abouta previous position registration area 401 a and information about anextended previous position registration area 401 b. The extendedprevious position registration area 401 b is provided to transmit, fromthe mobile unit 100 to the network, a list containing the positionregistration area indicated by the previous position registration area401 a and a position registration area now seemingly forming oneposition registration area.

Here, the base-station control device 111 at the network side haspreviously set therein information about a correlation between the cellthat received the message from the mobile unit 100 and the positionregistration area of the cell. The base-station control device 111 adds,to the position registration request signal 401, a current positionregistration area 401 c received from the mobile unit 100, and thentransmits the resultant signal.

The position-registration-request response signal 402 includesinformation about a registration-completed position registration area402 a and information about an extended registration-completed positionregistration area 402 b. The extended registration-completed positionregistration area 402 b is provided to transmit, to the mobile unit 100,a position registration area list containing the position registrationarea in the registration-completed position registration area 402 adetermined by the network and the position registration area seeminglyforming one position registration area.

The paging request signal 403 includes information about anincoming-call user identifier 403 a and information about anextended-position-registration cancel notification 403 b. Theextended-position-registration cancel notification 403 b is provided sothat the network side notifies the mobile unit 100 of a notificationindicative of a determination that all position registration areasconnected for extension are returned to their original state.

The paging response signal 404 includes information about anincoming-call user identifier 404 a and information about an extendedposition-registration cancel response 404 b. The extendedposition-registration cancel response 404 b is provided to notify thenetwork side of the fact that the mobile unit 100 has received andidentified the extended-position-registration cancel notification 403 bset in the paging request signal 403, and then has returned all positionregistration areas connected for extension to their original state.

As such, all of the above signals, that is, the position registrationrequest signal 401, the position-registration-request response signal402, the paging request signal 403, and the paging response signal 404,include extended information. The extended information according to thepresent invention can be used without any problems in the existingposition registration scheme in both of the existing(conventional-style) mobile unit 100 and network. For example, as forthe information about the extended previous position registration area401 b extended in the position registration request signal 401, in theexisting network where this extended information is not considered, theextended portion can be discarded and only the existing informationabout the previous position registration area 401 a is interpreted.Also, as for the information about the extended registration-completedposition registration area 402 b extended in theposition-registration-request response signal 402, in the existingmobile unit 100 where this extended information is not considered, theextended portion can be discarded, and only the existing informationabout the registration-completed position registration area 402 a isinterpreted.

Furthermore, as for the information about theextended-position-registration cancel notification 403 b extended in thepaging request signal 403, in the existing mobile unit 100 where thisextended information is not considered, the extended portion can bediscarded, and only the existing information about the incoming-calluser identifier 403 a is interpreted. Here, since the existing mobileunit 100 does not assume, in the first place, extension of a positionregistration area, the existing mobile unit 100 does not perform aprocess regarding extension or cancellation of the position registrationarea. Also as for the information about theextended-position-registration cancel response 404 b extended in thepaging response signal 404, since the existing mobile unit 100 does notassume, in the first place, extension of a position registration area,the existing mobile unit 100 does not send a response about extension orcancellation of a position registration area. As such, if the presentinvention is applied to the existing mobile unit 100 and network,neither extension of a position registration area nor cancellation ofthe extension according to the present invention is performed.Therefore, position registration in the existing scheme can be performedwithout any trouble.

FIG. 5 is a schematic of data regarding position registration areas in asubscriber-information storage unit of the mobile switchboard. In thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 (location register 105), variousinformation regarding the position registration area of the mobile unit100 is stored every time the position registration request signal 401 istransmitted from the mobile unit 100.

The subscriber-information storage unit 304 shown in the drawing is astorage unit provided for each subscriber (user of the mobile unit 100).The information stored in this subscriber-information storage unit 304relates to the relevant subscriber, and includes aposition-registration-area transition record 501 for a previous timeperiod L, an accumulated number of movements 502 for the previous timeperiod L, an incoming-call record 503 for a previous time period P,latest position-registration-area information 504, alatest-position-registration-area information extension portion 505, andother subscriber information 506. As the time periods L and P, arbitraryvalues (times) are set in advance. The latest position-registration-areainformation 504 has stored therein the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a of theposition-registration-request response signal 402 to be transmitted tothe mobile unit 100. The latest-position-registration-area-informationextension portion 505 has stored therein the information about theextended registration-completed position registration area 402 b of theposition-registration-request response signal 402 to be transmitted tothe mobile unit 100.

The mobile unit 100 transmits the position registration request signal401 to the mobile switchboard 104 at the time of a position registrationrequest. As described above, the position registration request signal401 include the information about the previous position registrationarea 401 a, the information about the extended previous positionregistration area 401 b, and the information about the current positionregistration area 401 c representing the current position of the mobileunit 100, the information being added by the base-station control device111.

The position-registration-area transition record 501 for the previoustime period L of the subscriber-information storage unit 304 hasrecorded therein information about all position registration areasacross which the mobile unit 100 moved for the previous time period Land times of the movements. The accumulated number of movements 502 forthe previous time period L has recorded therein the number of movementsthe mobile unit 100 made across specific position registration areas forthe previous period L. The incoming-call record 503 has recorded thereinarrival times of all incoming calls to the mobile unit 100 for theprevious time period P (in the example shown in the drawing, two arrivaltimes are recorded). The latest position-registration-area information504 has stored therein the latest position registration area of themobile unit 100. The latest-position-registration-area informationextension portion 505 has stored therein a list of position registrationareas seemingly forming one position registration area together with theposition registration area included in the latestposition-registration-area information 504.

FIG. 6 is a schematic of the position-registration-area storage unitprovided to the mobile unit. The position-registration-area storage unit205 includes a latest position-registration-area information portion 601and an extended latest position-registration-area information portion602. The position-registration-request respond signal 402 transmittedfrom the network includes, as described above, information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a and informationabout the extended registration-completed position registration area 402b, which is extended (added) by the present invention. These pieces ofinformation about the registration-completed position registration area402 a and the extended registration-completed position registration area402 b seemingly form one position registration area.

The latest position-registration-area information portion 601 has storedtherein a position registration area of which position registration wascompleted last, that is, the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a transmitted fromthe network. Also, the extended latest position-registration-areainformation portion 602 has stored therein the information about theextended registration-completed position registration area 402 b.

When the mobile unit 100 is present in a position registration area (anyone of LA1, LA2, and LA3) in the network, report information transmittedfrom the network is received at the receiving unit 202 via the antenna201 (refer to FIG. 2). The signal analyzing unit 204 checks to seewhether the current position-registration-area information included inthe received report information is included in the latestposition-registration-area information portion 601 or the extendedlatest position-registration-area information portion 602 stored in theposition-registration-area storage unit 205 (refer to FIG. 6).

The signal analyzing unit 204 checks the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a stored in thelatest position-registration-area information portion 601 against theextended registration-completed position registration area 402 b storedin the extended latest position-registration-area information portion602. As a result, if the information about the current positionregistration area received via the report information is not included inthe latest position-registration-area information portion 601 or theextended latest position-registration-area information portion 602, thesignal analyzing unit 204 instructs the position registration requestingunit 206 to start a position registration process on the network.

The position registration requesting unit 206 extracts the informationabout the registration-completed position registration area 402 a fromthe latest position-registration-area information portion 601 of theposition-registration-area storage unit 205, and then sets the extractedinformation to the previous position registration area 401 a of theposition registration request signal 401 (refer to FIG. 5). Also, theposition registration requesting unit 206 extracts the information aboutthe extended registration-completed position registration area 402 brecorded in the extended latest position-registration-area informationportion 602, and then sets the extracted information to the extendedprevious position registration area 401 b. Then, the positionregistration requesting unit 206 transmits these pieces of informationvia the transmitting unit 203 and the antenna 201 to the network (basestation 101).

On the other hand, when the current position registration areainformation received via the report information is included in theposition-registration-area storage unit 205, the signal analyzing unit204 determines that no position registration procedure is required, andthen ends the processing. Upon completion of the position registrationprocess by the network, the mobile unit 100 receives, at the receivingunit 202 via the antenna 201, the position-registration-request respondsignal 402 transmitted from the network. The signal analyzing unit 204ascertains that position registration has been normally completed, andthen stores the information about the registration-completed positionregistration area 402 a included in the position-registration-requestrespond signal 402 in the latest position-registration-area informationportion 601 of the position-registration-area storage unit 205. Then,when the position-registration-request respond signal 402 includes theinformation about the extended registration-completed positionregistration area 402 b, the extended registration-completed positionregistration area 402 b is written in the extended latestposition-registration-area information portion 602. At the time ofwriting, the entire original information already stored is deleted. Assuch, upon an instruction from the network, the mobile unit 100 extendsthe position registration area information stored in theposition-registration-area storage unit 205.

The mobile unit 100 receives, at the receiving unit 202 via the antenna201, the paging request signal 403 transmitted from the network at thetime of reception of an incoming call (refer to FIG. 4). When the pagingrequest signal 403 includes the information about theextended-position-registration cancel notification 403 b, the signalanalyzing unit 204 deletes the entire information recorded in theposition-registration-area storage unit 205 (refer to FIG. 2), and thenmakes an instruction of transmitting a paging response signal 404 (referto FIG. 4) including the information about theextended-position-registration cancel response 404 b to the network fromthe paging responding unit 207 via the transmitting unit 203 and theantenna 201. In this way, the mobile unit 100 deletes all positionregistration areas connected for extension (position registration areainformation) stored in the position-registration-area storage unit 205upon an instruction from the network.

When receiving the position registration request signal 401 from themobile unit 100, the mobile switchboard 104 performs a process ofextending a position registration area. On the other hand, when anincoming call to the mobile unit 100 is placed, the mobile switchboard104 performs a process of canceling the extended position registrationarea.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation of the mobile switchboard at thetime of extending a position registration area. When the positionregistration request signal 401 (refer to FIG. 5) is transmitted fromthe mobile unit 100, this position registration request signal 401 isthen received at the receiving unit 301 of the mobile switchboard 104via the base station 101 and the base-station control device 111.

With this, the signal analyzing unit 303 of the mobile switchboard 104records, in the subscriber-information storage unit 304, the fact thatthe mobile unit 100 moved across the position registration area includedin the previous position registration area 401 a included in theposition registration request signal 401, the seeming positionregistration area (hereinafter, “a position registration area A”) formedwith the position registration area included in the extended previousposition registration area 401 b, and the position registration area(hereinafter referred to as a position registration area B) included inthe current position registration area 401 c simultaneously transmitted,and also records the time of the movement (step S701).

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the subscriber-information storageunit 304 has recorded therein information about the relevant transitionposition registration areas and the time of movement as theposition-registration-area transition record 501 for the previous timeperiod L. The accumulated number of movements 502 for the previous timeperiod L has recorded therein the relevant transition positionregistration areas and the accumulated number of movements.

Also, the signal analyzing unit 303 sets the information about thecurrent position registration area 401 c included in the positionregistration request signal 401 to the latest position-registration-areainformation 504 of the subscriber-information storage unit 304.

Next, it is determined whether the number of incoming calls Q to themobile unit 100 exceeds a previously-set threshold R (Q>R) during theprevious time period P (step S702). This determination is made withreference to the incoming-call record 503 during the previous timeperiod P stored in the subscriber-information storage unit 304. Here,when the number of incoming calls Q to the mobile unit 100 is equal toor smaller than the previously-set threshold R (Q<R) (“NO” at stepS702), it is then determined whether the number of movements M acrossthe position registration area A to which the mobile unit 100 previouslymoved and the position registration area B where the mobile unit 100 iscurrently located exceeds a previously-set threshold N (M>N) (stepS703).

This determination is made with reference to the accumulated number ofmovements 502 during the previous time period L stored in thesubscriber-information storage unit 304. Here, when the number ofmovements M of the mobile unit 100 exceeds the previously-set thresholdN (M>N) (“YES” at step S703), it is determined that the positionregistration area A and the position registration area B are to beconnected together, and the connection result is then recorded in thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 and is also notified to themobile unit 100 (step S704). Specifically, the position registrationarea B is recorded in the latest position-registration-area information504, and the position registration area A to be newly connected isrecorded in the latest-position-registration-area information extensionportion 505.

Then, the position-registration-request responding unit 305 isinstructed to transmit the position-registration-request response signal402 to the mobile unit 100. The position-registration-request respondingunit 305 extracts the information recorded in the latestposition-registration-area information 504 and thelatest-position-registration-area information extension portion 505 inthe subscriber-information storage unit 304. Then, the positionregistration area B recorded in the latest position-registration-areainformation 504 is assigned as the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a of theposition-registration-request response signal 402, while the positionregistration area A recorded in the latest-position-registration-areainformation extension portion 505 is assigned as the information aboutthe extended registration-completed position registration area 402 b.

Thereafter, the position-registration-request response signal 402 istransmitted from the transmitting unit 302 via the base-station controldevice (RNC) 111 and the base station (BS) 101 to the mobile unit 100and then the process of extending the position registration area ends.As such, the network extends the seeming position registration areabased on the movement record and the incoming-call record of the mobileunit 100.

On the other hand, when, at step S702, the number of incoming calls Q tothe mobile unit 100 exceeds the previously-set threshold R (Q>R) (“YES”at step S702) and when, at step S703, the number of movements M of themobile unit 100 is equal to or smaller than the previously-set thresholdN (M<N) (“NO” at step S703), the latest position-registration-areainformation is taken as B, which is notified to the mobile unit 100(step S705), and then the process of extending the position registrationarea ends.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the operation of the mobile switchboard at thetime of canceling the extension of the position registration area. Whenan incoming call is placed to the mobile unit 100 from an external relaynetwork, the receiving unit 301 of the mobile switchboard 104 receivesan incoming-call request from the relay network. From the incoming-callrequest, the signal analyzing unit 303 then ascertains at whichsubscriber (mobile unit 100) the incoming call is targeted, and thenascertains, from the latest-position-registration-area informationextension portion 505 included in the subscriber-information storageunit 304 for the relevant subscriber, whether the extended positionregistration area is being applied (step S801).

If information has been set in the latest-position-registration-areainformation extension portion 505, it is determined that the extendedposition registration area is being applied (“YES” at step S801). It isthen determined, with reference to the incoming-call record 503 duringthe previous time period P for the relevant subscriber, whether theextended position registration area is canceled. It is determinedwhether the number of incoming calls Q during the previous time period Pexceeds the previously-set threshold R (Q>R) (step S802).

Here, when the number of incoming calls Q during the previous timeperiod P exceeds the threshold R (Q>R) (“YES” at step S802), it isdetermined that all position registration areas connected for extensionare returned to their original state to cancel the extended positionregistration area. Then, the paging request unit 306 sends the pagingrequest signal 403 including the information about theextended-position-registration cancel notification 403 b (refer to FIG.4) from the transmitting unit 302 via the base station (BS) to themobile unit 100 (step S803).

Thereafter, it is determined whether the paging response signal 404including the information about the extended position-registrationcancel response 404 b has been received from the mobile unit 100 (stepS804). If the receiving unit 301 has received the paging response signal404 from the mobile unit 100 and the signal analyzing unit 303 detectsthat this paging response signal 404 includes the information about theextended position-registration cancel response 404 b (“YES” at stepS804), all position registration areas connected for extension arereturned to their original state (step S805). Specifically, the entireinformation recorded in the latest-position-registration-areainformation extension portion 505 of the subscriber-information storageunit 304 is deleted, and then a normal incoming-call process isperformed (step S806). In this way, in the network, based on theincoming-call frequency of the mobile unit 100, the extended positionregistration area is returned to its original state for the mobile unit100 with a high incoming-call frequency to end the process of cancelingthe extension of the position registration area.

Here, at step S801 described above, if no information has been set inthe latest-position-registration-area information extension portion 505,it is determined that the extended position registration area is notbeing applied (“NO” at step S801), an a normal incoming-call process isperformed (step S806). Similarly, at step S802, if the number ofincoming calls Q during the previous time period P is equal to orsmaller than the threshold R (Q<R) (“NO” at step S802) or if the pagingresponse signal 404 from the mobile unit 100 is not received (“NO” atstep S804), a normal incoming-call process is then performed (step S806)to end the process of canceling the extension of the positionregistration area.

In the following description, it is assumed that thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 corresponds to the locationregister 105 having registered therein the position information aboutthe mobile unit 100, and the mobile switchboard 104 accesses thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 as the location register 105 toperform extension of a position registration area and cancellation ofthe extension.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram of a procedure for extension a positionregistration area. The drawing depicts the mobile unit (UE) 100, thebase stations (BS1 to BS3) covering the position registration areas (LA1to LA3), the base-station control devices (RNC1 to RNC3) 111 a to 111 c,the mobile switchboard (MSC) 104, and the location register (VLR) 105,and also signal exchanges among these units and devices. In thefollowing, the procedure of extending a position registration area whenthe mobile unit 100 moves is specifically described.

First, it is assumed that the position of the mobile unit 100 has beenregistered as the position registration area LA1 (step S901).Thereafter, it is assumed that the mobile unit 100 moves into a newposition registration area LA2 (step S902). At this time, the mobileunit 100 receives report information (LA2) from the base-station controldevice (RNC2) 111 b of the position registration area LA2 via the basestation (BS2) 101 b.

Based on this report information, the mobile unit 100 ascertains to haveentered the new position registration area (LA2) (step S903), and thentransmits the position registration request signal 401 shown in FIG. 5.The information about the previous position registration area 401 a inthis position registration request signal 401 indicates the previousregistration area LA1. This position registration request signal 401 issent from the base station (BS2) 101 b in the position registration areaLA2 via the base-station control device (RNC2) 111 b to the mobileswitchboard (MSC) 104.

Upon reception of the position registration request signal 401, thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 (location register 105) in themobile switchboard (MSC) 104 changes the latestposition-registration-area information 504 of the mobile unit 100 in thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 shown in FIG. 5 to LA2. Also, amovement between the position registration areas LA1 and LA2 is recordedwith the time of the movement in the position-registration-areatransition record 501 for the previous time period L (step S904).

Next, it is determined with reference to the incoming-call record 503 tothe mobile unit 100 for the previous time period P whether it issatisfied that the number of incoming calls Q per unit time does notexceed the threshold R (corresponding to “NO” at step S702 in FIG. 7)and also it is determined with reference to the accumulated number ofmovements 502 for the previous time period L whether it is satisfiedthat the number of movements M between the position registration areasLA1 and LA2 per unit time exceeds the threshold N (corresponding to“YES” at step S703 in FIG. 17). If both are satisfied, it is determinedthat the position registration areas LA1 and LA2 are taken as the samesingle position registration area (LA1+LA2) (step S905).

At this time, the latest position-registration-area information 504 inthe subscriber-information storage unit 304 has recorded therein LA2,while the latest-position-registration-area information extensionportion 505 has recorded therein LA1. Then, the mobile switchboard 104transmits the position-registration-request response signal 402 shown inFIG. 6 to the mobile unit 100. As the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a of theposition-registration-request response signal 402, LA2 recorded in thelatest position-registration-area information 504 is set. As theinformation about the extended registration-completed positionregistration area 402 b, LA1 recorded in thelatest-position-registration-area information extension portion 505 isset. This position-registration-request response signal 402 istransmitted from the base-station control device (RNC2) 111 b in theposition registration area LA2 via the base station (BS2) 101 b to themobile unit 100.

Upon reception of this position-registration-request response signal402, the mobile unit 100 writes LA2, which is the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a, in the latestposition-registration-area information portion 601 of theposition-registration-area storage unit 205. Also, the mobile unit 100writes LA1, which is the information about the extendedregistration-completed position registration area 402 b, in the extendedlatest position-registration-area information portion 602 (step S906).

Thereafter, it is assumed that the mobile unit 100 moves again to theposition registration area LA1 (step S907). At this time, the mobileunit 100 receives report information (LA1) from the base-station controldevice (RNC1) 111 a of the position registration area LA1 via the basestation (BS1) 101 a. Based on this report information, the mobile unit100 ascertains to have entered the position registration area (LA1). Atthis time, the position-registration-area storage unit 205 of the mobileunit 100 has already written LA2 in the latestposition-registration-area information portion 601 and LA1 in theextended latest position-registration-area information portion 602. Thatis, the mobile unit 100 determines that a movement within such anextended position registration area LA1+LA2 is taken as a movementwithin the same position registration area, and does not start aposition registration procedure (step S908).

Next, FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of a procedure further extending theposition registration area. In the following, the procedure of furtherextending the extended position registration area shown in FIG. 9 isdescribed.

Position registration of the mobile unit 100 has been made such that themobile unit 100 is located in the extended position registration areaLA1+LA2. Then, it is assumed that the mobile unit 100 moves into anothernew position registration area LA3 (step S1001). At this time, themobile unit 100 receives report information (LA3) from the base-stationcontrol device (RNC3) 111 c of the position registration area LA3 viathe base station (BS3) 101 c.

Based on the report information, the mobile unit 100 ascertains to haveentered the new position registration area (LA3) (step S1002), and thentransmits the position registration request signal 401 shown in FIG. 5.The information about the previous position registration area 401 a ofthe position registration request signal 401 indicates the previousposition registration area LA2, and the information about the extendedprevious position registration area 401 b indicates LA1. This positionregistration request signal 401 is sent from the base station (BS3) 101c of the position registration area LA3 via the base-station controldevice (RNC3) 111 c to the mobile switchboard (MSC) 104.

Upon reception of the position registration request signal 401, thesubscriber-information storage unit 304 in the mobile switchboard (MSC)104 changes the latest position-registration-area information 504 of themobile unit 100 to LA3. Also, in the position-registration-areatransition record 501 for the previous time period L, a movement betweenthe position registration areas (LA1+LA2) and LA3 is recorded togetherwith a time of movement (step S1003).

Next, it is determined with reference to the incoming-call record 503 tothe mobile unit 100 for the previous time period P whether it issatisfied that the number of incoming calls Q per unit time does notexceed the threshold R (corresponding to “NO” at step S702 in FIG. 7)and also it is determined with reference to the accumulated number ofmovements 502 for the previous time period L whether it is satisfiedthat the number of movements M between the position registration areas(LA1+LA2) and LA3 per unit time exceeds the threshold N (correspondingto “YES” at step S403 in FIG. 7). If both are satisfied, it isdetermined that the position registration areas LA1+LA2 and LA3 aretaken as the same single position registration area (LA1+LA2+LA3) (stepS1004).

At this time, the latest position-registration-area information 504 inthe subscriber-information storage unit 304 has recorded therein LA3,while the latest-position-registration-area information extensionportion 505 has recorded therein LA1 and LA2. Then, the mobileswitchboard 104 transmits the position-registration-request responsesignal 402 shown in FIG. 6 to the mobile unit 100. As the informationabout the registration-completed position registration area 402 a of theposition-registration-request response signal 402, LA3 recorded in thelatest position-registration-area information 504 is set. As theinformation about the extended registration-completed positionregistration area 402 b, LA1+LA2 recorded in thelatest-position-registration-area information extension portion 505 isset. This position-registration-request response signal 402 istransmitted from the base-station control device (RNC3) 111 c in theposition registration area LA3 via the base station (BS3) 101 c to themobile unit 100.

Upon reception of this position-registration-request response signal402, the mobile unit 100 writes LA3, which is the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a, in the latestposition-registration-area information portion 601 of theposition-registration-area storage unit 205. Also, the mobile unit 100writes (LA1+LA2), which is the information about the extendedregistration-completed position registration area 402 b, in the extendedlatest position-registration-area information portion 602 (step S1005).

According to the above procedure, every time the frequency at which themobile unit 100 with a low incoming-call frequency moves acrossdifferent position registration areas exceeds the previously-setthreshold, these different position registration areas are connected.Then, as long as the mobile unit 100 moves within the newly-extendedposition registration area, the mobile unit 100 does not perform aposition registration procedure. As such, the mobile unit 100 with ahigher movement frequency and a lower incoming-call frequency has afurther-extended position registration area. Thus, a ratio at which sucha mobile unit 100 is currently registered as being located in theextended position registration area is increased every time the mobileunit 100 moves across the position registration areas. Therefore, thenumber of times of starting a position registration procedure can bereduced, thereby avoiding wasted transmission and reception between themobile unit 100 and the network regarding position registration andachieving efficient use of wireless resources.

Next, the entire procedure regarding cancellation of the extension ofthe position registration area described above is described. FIG. 11 isa sequence diagram of a procedure of canceling the extension of theposition registration area shown in FIG. 5. In the following, theprocedure of canceling the extension of the position registration areain the extended state shown in FIG. 10 is described.

The mobile unit 100 uses the position registration areas LA1+LA2+LA3 asa single extended position registration area. Also, it is assumed thatthe mobile unit 100 is under the control of the position registrationarea LA2 (step S1101). When an incoming-call request to the mobile unit100 is placed, the mobile switchboard 104 records, in the incoming-callrecord 503 for the previous time period P of the subscriber-informationstorage unit 304, that an incoming call is placed, and the time of theincoming call (step S1102). Also, with reference to the incoming-callrecord 503 for the previous time period P, it is determined whether thenumber of incoming calls Q to the mobile unit 100 for a predeterminedtime period exceeds the previously-set threshold R (corresponding tostep S802 of FIG. 8). If the number exceeds the threshold, the mobileswitchboard 104 determines to return all position registration areasincluding the extended position registration area to their originalstate (step S1103).

Then, the mobile switchboard 104 starts a paging procedure on all theposition registration areas connected for extension (LA1, LA2, and LA3).The mobile switchboard 104 causes the information about theextended-position-registration cancel notification 403 b to be includedin the paging request signal 403 (refer to FIG. 4) for transmission tothe mobile unit 100. With this extended-position-registration cancelnotification 403 b, the mobile unit 100 is notified that all positionregistration areas have been returned to their original states.

Upon reception of this information, the mobile unit 100 writesinformation indicative of cancellation of the extension (for example,NULL) in the latest position-registration-area information portion 601and the extended latest position-registration-area information portion602 of the position-registration-area storage unit 205 (step S1104). Themobile unit 100 then causes the information about the extendedposition-registration cancel response 404 b to be included in the pagingresponse signal 404 (refer to FIG. 4), and notifies the mobileswitchboard 104 that the information about theextended-position-registration cancel notification 403 b has beennormally received.

Thereafter, the mobile switchboard 104 receives the paging responsesignal 404 including the information about the extendedposition-registration cancel response 404 b, thereby deleting theinformation regarding all position registration areas for the mobileunit 100 and returning the position registration areas connected forextension to their original state (step S1105). Specifically, the latestposition-registration-area information 504 and the information stored inthe latest-position-registration-area information extension portion 505of the subscriber-information storage unit 304 are deleted. In thisstate, the mobile unit 100 receives the incoming call and enters acommunicating state (step S1106).

After the end of communication, based on the fact that the latestposition registration area stored in the mobile unit 100 is in anextension-cancelled state (NULL), the mobile unit 100 ascertains that noposition registration is currently made on the network, and then newlystarts a position registration procedure (step S1107). At this time,since the mobile unit 100 is located in the position registration areaLA2, the mobile unit 100 receives report information (LA2) from therelevant base-station control device (RNC2) 111 b via the base station(BS2) 101 b. Based on this report information, the mobile unit 100ascertains that the current position registration area is LA2, and thentransmits the position registration request signal 401 (refer to FIG.5). At this time, the information about the previous positionregistration area 401 a and the information about the extended previousposition registration area 401 b of the position registration requestsignal 401 are both NULL.

Upon reception of the position registration request signal 401, themobile switchboard 104 performs a normal position registrationprocedure, and then changes the latest position-registration-areainformation 504 of the mobile unit 100 in the subscriber-informationstorage unit 304 to LA2 (step S1108). The mobile switchboard 104 thentransmits the position-registration-request response signal 402 shown inFIG. 6 to the mobile unit 100. As the information about theregistration-completed position registration area 402 a of theposition-registration-request response signal 402, LA2 recorded in thelatest position-registration-area information 504 is set. The mobileunit 100 then writes LA2 as the latest position registration area in thelatest position-registration-area information portion 601 of theposition-registration-area storage unit 205 (step S1109).

In this way, the position registration areas connected for extension canbe cleared, that is, returned to their original state, when thefrequency of incoming calls to the mobile unit 100 exceeds thepreviously-set threshold. That is, for the mobile unit 100 with a highincoming-call frequency, the extension of the position registration areais cancelled. Therefore, it is possible at the time of incoming calls tothe mobile unit 100 to avoid an increase in the number of paging signalstransmitted from base stations (BS) of a plurality of positionregistration areas to the mobile unit 100. This can reduce acommunication load on the network, thereby making it possible toefficiently use wireless resources.

In the foregoing, the present invention is not restricted to theembodiment described above, but can be variously modified. For example,at the time of canceling the extension of the position registrationarea, the mobile unit 100 may not clear the information about theposition registration areas stored in the latestposition-registration-area information portion 601 shown in FIG. 6, butmay clear only the information about the extended position registrationarea stored in the extended latest position-registration-areainformation portion 602. If it is determined whether the positionregistration area where the mobile unit 100 is located at the time ofclearing is identical to the position registration area recorded in thelatest position-registration-area information portion 601 and thedetermination indicates that they are identical to each other, theposition registration request signal does not have to be sent to thenetwork, thereby achieving more efficient use of wireless resources.

Also, the method of extending a position registration area and cancelingthe extension described above can be achieved by executing apreviously-provided program on a computer, such as a personal computeror a work station. This program is recorded on any one of variousrecording medium, and is executed by being read by the computer from thecomputer. Also, this program may be a transmission medium distributablevia a network, such as the Internet.

As has been described in the foregoing, according to the presentinvention, an optimum position registration area can be set according tothe movement state of the mobile unit. Also, as for a mobile unit havinga low incoming-call frequency and frequently moving among positionregistration areas, a plurality of position registration areas areconnected together, thereby reducing a frequency of requesting positionregistration from the mobile unit to the network. Furthermore, as for amobile unit having a high incoming-call frequency, the connection of theposition registration areas is cancelled at the time of incoming calls,thereby preventing unconditional extension of the position registrationarea and avoiding an increase in the number of paging signals to betransmitted from the network at the time of incoming calls. Therefore,an effect can be achieved such that a communication load on the networkcan be reduced and wireless resources can be efficiently used.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce acommunication load to a network, thereby efficiently using wirelessresources in the network.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a specificembodiment for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims arenot to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying allmodifications and alternative constructions that may occur to oneskilled in the art which fairly fall within the basic teaching hereinset forth.

1. A mobile communication system comprising: a mobile station thatexecutes, in response to a change in receiving area information, anupdate request regarding area information; and a base station thattransmits the area information, wherein the base station includes atransmitting unit that transmits, to the mobile station, area listinformation that is able to include information concerning a pluralityof areas including a registration-completed position registration areaand an extended registration-completed position registration area, andthe mobile station includes a receiving unit that receives the area listinformation, and a control unit that controls execution of the updaterequest such that the update request is not executed when thereceiving-area information that has changed is included in the extendedregistration-completed position registration area of the area listinformation.
 2. An area information updating method for a mobilecommunication system including a mobile station that executes, inresponse to a change in receiving-area information, an update requestregarding area information, and a base station that transmits the areainformation, the area information updating method comprising:transmitting, from the base station to the mobile station, area listinformation that is able to include information concerning a pluralityof areas including a registration-completed position registration areaand an extended registration-completed position registration area;receiving the area list information at the mobile station; andcontrolling, at the mobile station, execution of the update request suchthat the update request is not executed when the receiving-areainformation that has changed is included in the extendedregistration-completed position registration area of the area listinformation.
 3. A mobile station that executes, in response to a changein receiving-area information, an update request regarding areainformation, the mobile station comprising: a receiving unit thatreceives, through a base station, area list information that is able toinclude information concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area, a storage unit thatstores the received area list information; and a control unit thatcontrols execution of the update request such that the update is notexecuted when the receiving-area information that has changed isincluded in the extended registration-completed position registrationarea of the area list information stored in the storage unit.
 4. Astorage apparatus of a mobile communication system including a mobilestation that executes, in response to a change in receiving-areainformation, an update request regarding area information, and a basestation that transmits the area information, the storage apparatusstoring the area information that is transmitted in reply to the updaterequest and concerns the mobile station, and comprising: a storage unitthat stores, corresponding to the mobile station, area list informationthat is able to include information concerning a plurality of areasincluding a registration-completed position registration area and anextended registration-completed position registration area, the arealist information being transmitted to the mobile station that controlsexecution of the update request such that the update request is notexecuted when the receiving-area information that has changed isincluded in the extended registration-completed position registrationarea of the area list information, wherein paging is executed accordingto the area list information stored in the storage unit when there is anincoming for the mobile station.
 5. A mobile communication systemcomprising: a mobile station that executes, in response to a change inreceiving-area information, an update request regarding areainformation; a base station that transmits the area information; and astorage unit that stores, corresponding to the mobile station, areainformation referenced upon execution of paging when there is anincoming to the mobile station, wherein the base station includes atransmitting unit that transmits, to the mobile station, area listinformation that is able to include information concerning a pluralityof areas including a registration-completed position registration areaand an extended registration-completed position registration area, andthe mobile station includes a receiving unit that receives the area listinformation, and a transmitting unit that transmits, upon execution ofthe update request, information including area information including theregistration-completed position registration area and the extendedregistration-completed position registration area included in the arealist information.
 6. An area information updating method for a mobilecommunication system including a mobile station that executes, inresponse to a change in receiving-area information, an update requestregarding area information; a base station that transmits the areainformation; and a storage unit that stores, corresponding to the mobilestation, area information referenced upon execution of paging when thereis an incoming to the mobile station; the area information updatingmethod comprising: transmitting, from the base station to the mobilestation, area list information that is able to include informationconcerning a plurality of areas including a registration-completedposition registration area and an extended registration-completedposition registration area; receiving, at the mobile station, the arealist information; and transmitting from the mobile station, uponexecution of the update request, information including area informationincluding the registration-completed position registration area and theextended registration-completed position registration area that areincluded in the area list information.
 7. A mobile station thatexecutes, in response to a change in receiving-area information, anupdate request regarding area information and that is utilized in amobile communication system including a base station that transmits thearea information and a storage unit that stores, corresponding to themobile station, area information referenced upon execution of pagingwhen there is an incoming to the mobile station, the mobile stationcomprising: a receiving unit that receives area list information that isable to include information concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area; and a transmittingunit that transmits, upon execution of the update request, informationincluding area information including the registration-completed positionregistration area and the extended registration-completed positionregistration area that are included in the area list information.
 8. Amobile communication system comprising: a mobile station that executes,in response to a change in receiving-area information, an update requestregarding area information; and a base station that transmits the areainformation, wherein the base station includes a transmitting unit thattransmits, to the mobile station, area list information that is able toinclude information concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area, and the mobilestation includes a receiving unit that receives the area listinformation, and a control unit that executes the update request basedon the received area list information, and invalidates existing arealist information upon receipt of new area list information including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area by the receiving unit.9. An area information updating method for a mobile communication systemincluding a mobile station that executes, in response to a change inreceiving-area information, an update request regarding areainformation, and a base station that transmits the area information, thearea information updating method comprising: transmitting, from the basestation to the mobile station, area list information that is able toinclude information concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area; receiving, at themobile station, the area list information; executing, at the mobilestation, the update request based on the area list information receivedat the receiving; and invalidating, at the mobile station, existing arealist information upon receipt of new area list information including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area.
 10. A mobile stationthat, in response to a change in area information, executes an updaterequest for the area information, the mobile station comprising: areceiving unit that receives, through a base station, area listinformation that is able to include information concerning a pluralityof areas including a registration-completed position registration areaand an extended registration-completed position registration area; astorage unit that stores the received area list information; and acontrol unit that executes the update request based on the received arealist information, and invalidates existing area list information uponreceipt of new area list information including a registration-completedposition registration area and an extended registration-completedposition registration area by the receiving unit.
 11. A mobilecommunication system comprising: a mobile station that executes, inresponse to a change in receiving-area information, an update requestregarding area information; and a base station that transmits the areainformation, wherein the base station includes a transmitting unit thattransmits, to the mobile station, area list information that is able toinclude information concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area, and the mobilestation includes a receiving unit that receives the area listinformation, and a control unit that executes the update request basedon the received area list information, and invalidates existing arealist information upon receipt of a predefined message by the receivingunit.
 12. An area information updating method for a mobile communicationsystem including a mobile station that executes, in response to a changein receiving-area information, an update request regarding areainformation, and a base station that transmits the area information, thearea information updating method comprising: transmitting, from the basestation to the mobile station, area list information that is able toinclude information concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area; receiving, at themobile station, the area list information; executing, at the mobilestation, the update request based on the received area list information;and invalidating, at the mobile station, existing area list informationupon receipt of a predefined message.
 13. A mobile station thatexecutes, in response to a change in receiving-area information, anupdate request regarding area information and that is utilized in acommunication system including a base station that transmits the areainformation, the mobile station comprising: a receiving unit thatreceives, from the base station, area list information that is able toinclude information concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area; and a control unitthat executes the update request based on the received area listinformation, and invalidates existing area list information upon receiptof a predefined message by the receiving unit.
 14. A mobilecommunication system comprising: a mobile station that executes, inresponse to a change in receiving-area information, an update requestregarding area information; a plurality of base stations that transmitthe area information; a storage unit that stores, corresponding to themobile station, area information referenced upon execution of pagingprocessing in response to an incoming to the mobile station; and atransmitting unit that, when area list information including informationconcerning a plurality of areas including a registration-completedposition registration area and an extended registration-completedposition registration area is stored in the storage unit, transmits areainformation included in the area list information and a signal forexecuting paging from the base stations that transmit area informationdiffering from the area information transmitted, wherein the mobilestation includes a receiving unit that receives the signal for executingpaging from any of the base stations.
 15. A paging method for a mobilecommunication system including a mobile station that executes, inresponse to a change in receiving-area information, an update requestregarding area information; a plurality of base stations that transmitthe area information; and a storage unit that stores, corresponding tothe mobile station, area information referenced upon execution of pagingprocessing in response to an incoming to the mobile station; the pagingmethod comprising: transmitting, when area list information includinginformation concerning a plurality of areas including aregistration-completed position registration area and an extendedregistration-completed position registration area is stored in thestorage unit, area information included in the area list information;and transmitting a signal for executing paging from the base stationsthat transmit area information differing from the area informationtransmitted at the transmitting the area information wherein the signalfor executing paging from any of the base stations is received at themobile station.
 16. A mobile station that executes, in response to achange in receiving-area information, an update request regarding areainformation and that is utilized in a communication system including abase station that transmits the area information and a storage unit thatstores, corresponding to the mobile station, area information referencedupon execution of paging processing in response to an incoming to themobile station, the mobile station comprising: a receiving unit thatreceives a signal for executing paging from any of the base stationsthat transmit area information differing from the area information thatis included in the area list information and transmitted when the arealist information including information concerning a plurality of areasincluding a registration-completed position registration area and anextended registration-completed position registration area is stored inthe storage unit; and a transmitting unit that transmits anacknowledgement signal in reply to the signal for executing pagingreceived at the receiving unit.